Next month, Apple will introduce the iPhone in France, Germany and the U.K. And this holiday season, the iPhone is expected to be a popular gift.

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The vendor statistics for the whole region were echoed in France in Germany, but during the quarter Apple managed to break into the top five in the UK market.

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All of this is in addition to a law that went into effect in France last August which allows regulators to force Apple to open up the iPod and iTunes, but we haven't heard a peep out of that one so far.

ENGADGET: France and Germany pile on the EU iTunes anti-DRM pressures

You keep providing analogies, in the US economy, to demonstrate your confidence in the free-market to decrease health care cost, but you completely ignore apple-to-apple comparison with countries like Norway or France or Germany or Switzerland (which has Obamacare like system).

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Apple began shipping iPad in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK this past weekend. iPad will be available in nine more countries in July and additional countries later this year.

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It has sought a ban on sales of Apple's iPhone 4S in Australia, Japan, France and Italy.

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However, Apple might have to start paying attention now that other EU members are hopping aboard, with France and Germany leading the charge.

ENGADGET: France and Germany pile on the EU iTunes anti-DRM pressures

Lest folks think I am basking in the sun in the South of France, the timing has not been so hot this time around as I have sold portions of my Apple stake at far lower prices on numerous occasions.

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